22 Days Uganda Wildlife & Rwenzori Hike

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and overnight in Entebbe

Upon your arrival at the airport, you will be picked up and welcomed by Primate safari experiences representative who will brief you about the safari. Later, you will proceed to the lodge for refreshment, dinner and overnight.

Overnight at Santa Maria lodge/ K Hotel / Best Western Hotel

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park, rhino tracking and hike to the top of the falls

Wake up for your breakfast at the lodge and meet your guide for your transfer to Murchison falls national park with a stopover in Masindi for lunch and another one at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking. You then proceed with the drive to the park and hike to the top of the falls where you will see a 7m gap where the water squeezes itself to form power waterfalls with thunderous sounds. After, the visit the top of the falls, drive to the lodge of your booking for refreshment, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation at Pakuba safari lodge

Day 3: Morning game drive and boat cruise

Wake up for your breakfast at the lodge and go for an early morning game drive in the open plains of the park. You will encounter different wildlife during the game drive and among these include the early hunters like lions, leopards, hyenas and many others. Other animals to see include the grazing animals like elephants, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, bush bucks and others. After, drive back to the lodge for your lunch and later go for an afternoon boat cruise on Victoria Nile. You will spot a number of aquatic animals like Nile crocodiles, hippos, elephants quenching their thirst, numerous water birds, plus the unique vegetation along the shores. After, drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Full day drive to Kibale forest national park

In the morning after breakfast, check out for your transfer to Kibale forest national park in Kasese district. The park is known for protecting the highest primate population especially chimpanzees. You will enjoy an enroute lunch and then proceed to the park where you will arrive in the late evening. Overnight at Chimpanzee forest lodge

Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking and drive to Rwenzori mountains national park

Have your breakfast at the lodge and proceed to the park headquarters for briefing about the dos and don’ts of chimpanzee trekking. After, proceed to the forests for chimpanzee tracking where you will spend some good time with the chimps as you enjoy their daily lifestyles like playing, feeding and others. Later after the trek, drive back to the lodge for lunch and then proceed to Rwenzori mountains national park for 7 days hike.

Day 6: Nyakalengija 1615m to Nyabitaba Camp 2651m asl.

Have your breakfast at the lodge and later meet your driver for your transfer to the starting point of Rwenzori mountains. The central circuit starts at the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services offices at Nyakalengijja. You need to arrive in the morning to allow ample time to rent equipment and meet your guides and porters.

The trail begins by passing through farmland to the park boundary beyond which it follows a thick forest along the Mubuku River, crossing its Mahoma River tributary before starting a long, steep climb up onto a massive ridge to reach Nyabitaba hut. During this part of the trip you may hear chimpanzee and see black and white colobus, blue monkey and the brilliantly coloured Rwenzori turaco. The hike takes an average of 6 -7 hours.

Day 7: Nyabitaba Camp to John Matte Camp (3505m asl.)

From Nyabitaba follow the trail that drops down through the forest to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. Passing through the bamboo forest, traverse through a long and exhausting stretch of slippery moss-covered rock. From the Nyamuleju rock shelter, Mount Stanley and Mount Speke can be seen before passing into the zone of the giant heather, lobelia and groundsel. Finally reach John Matte Hut after passing through the tiring bog, for dinner and overnight at the hut. The hike takes an average of 7 - 8 hours.

Day 8: John Matte - Bujuku Camp (3962m asl.)

From John Matte Hut the trail drops down to cross the Bujuku River and enters Lower Bigo Bog, the home of giant lobelias. Jumping from tussock to tussock, the bog is finally crossed but rarely without the feet sampling some of the freezing ooze below. The upper Bigo bog gives way to Bujuku Lake, with views of Mt Baker to the South and Mt Stanley to the West. Bujuku Hut, well located in the shadow of Mount Baker and Mount Speke, is set in a narrow valley below Stuhlmann Pass. This camp is good for acclimatization for clients attempting the summits of peaks Mount Stanley and Mount Speke. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku hut. The hike takes an average of 4 – 5 hours.

Day 9: Bujuku Camp to Elena Camp (4541m asl.)

Leaving Bujuku, the trail takes you through more bog, while climbing the steep slopes west of the lake and through the magical and forest of Groundsel Gully. Turn to your right up to Elena Hut and Mount Stanley on a steep trail over large boulders, while the trail on your left leads to Scott-Elliot Pass and down to Kitandara Lakes the trail on he left leads those who are not climbing Margherita Peak to Kitandara Hut. Those climbing the peak will have their Dinner and overnight at the coolly and Icy Elena Hut. The hike takes an average of 5 – 6 hours.

Day 10: Elena Hut - Margherita Peak (5109m asl.) –Kitandara Camp (4430m asl.)

Very early in the morning, you attempt climbing the highest peak, Margherita of Mount Stanley. To reach the summit of Margherita, the climb takes about 4 -5 hours depending on the weather conditions and the pace of climbing this mountain. This tough walk takes you over three glaciers, slippery rock, ice and very exposed areas which are open on many sides. Climbing on to the glaciers, cross the Stanley Plateau and proceed with the ascent. Acclimatized to fog, altitude sickness and coolly weather, scramble up to the summit of Margherita the highest peak of the Rwenzori. The descend from Margherita peak back to Elena Hut will take you about 2 – 3hours. After your lunch at Elena hut, descend to the Scott-Elliot pass (4372m asl.), where there are spectacular views of Bujuku Lake and Mount Speke. After, the trail passes you through an alpine zone of sparse vegetation and rough boulders, descend past the Kitandara Lakes for dinner and overnight at the Kitandara camp. The descend takes an average of 3 – 4 hours.

Day 11: Kitandara Camp to Guy Yeoman (3261m asl.)

From Kitandara, take on the trail that ascends steeply up the headwall, spreading out from the base of Mount Baker and continuing along the south side of the mountain to Fresh field Pass 4282m asl. At this point you can view into the Congo to the west and Mount Stanley to the north. From the pass, take on the long high alpine mossy. Thereafter start the descend through steep rocky trails and the rock shelter at Bujongolo, the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906 and then an overnight at Guy yeoman camp. The hike takes an average of 6 – 7 hours.

Day 12: Guy Yeoman - Nyabitaba to Nyakalengija (1615m asl.)

Below Guy Yeoman, the route descends the cliffs of Kichuchu. Beyond Kichuchu the muddy path crosses the Mubuku River twice through a bamboo forest before climbing downwards to Nyabitaba to complete the circuit. Continue descending Nyabitaba Camp and complete your trek by afternoon at Nyakalengijja, the base camp. Meet your driver to your transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 13: Drive to Queen Elizabeth national park and game drive

Wake up for your breakfast at the lodge and proceed to Queen Elizabeth national park in the south western part of Uganda. The park is known for protecting the largest number of wildlife species including the four of the five big African five – lions, elephants, leopards and buffalos. Other animals to watch in the park include warthogs, waterbucks, bushbucks, and many others. Arrive at the lodge of your booking in the afternoon for lunch and later go for an evening game drive where you will watch several animals and birds. Later, drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Accommodation at Enganzi game lodge

Day 14: Morning game drive and boat cruise

Have your early breakfast at the lodge and go for an early morning game drive in the open savannah of the park. You will enjoy the beautiful sunrise as you spot the early hunters like lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and others like elephants, warthogs, Uganda kobs and others. After, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch and later drive to Kazinga channel for boat cruise experience. The cruise offers the best views of aquatic animals like hippos, crocodiles, and others. Drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 15: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park via Isasha sector

After your breakfast at the lodge, check out for your transfer to the home of almost half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas via Isasha sector, the home of the rare tree climbing lions. Thousands of people to travel to this natural rain forest to have an up-close encounter with the endangered species during the gorilla trekking and habituation experience. You will pass through different vegetation zones up to the lodge of your booking and have some refreshment and relaxation as you wait for your dinner.

Accommodation at Gorilla mist camp

Day 16: Gorilla trekking experience

Wake up for your early breakfast at the lodge and drive to the park headquarters for registration and briefing about the gorilla trekking experience. After, you will proceed to the park rain forests in search of the apes and once found, you will be allowed to spend a full hour in their presence as you enjoy their lifestyles like playing, feeding, breast feeding and others. After, you will move to the park starting point for your trekking certificates and later drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight

Day 17: Proceed to Lake Mburo National park

Have your breakfast at the lodge and check out for your transfer to Lake Mburo national park. The park is known for boosting a variety of mammal species thus regarded as one of the best safari destinations in Uganda. Among the animals in the park include elands, buffalos, impalas, zebras, giraffes, topis, duikers and many others. You will arrive at the park in the late afternoon hours and check in the lodge for lunch and later proceed with an evening nature in the plains of the park. You will spot several wildlife species including birds, zebras, giraffes, elands, topis, waterbucks and many others. After, drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation at Rwakobo rock lodge

Day 18: Morning nature walk and night game drive

Wake up for your early morning nature walk through the open plains of the park. By the lead of the game ranger, you will pass through the vegetation of the park as you spot different animals like zebras, giraffes and many others at a closer distance. Later after the walk, move back to the lodge for your late breakfast as you wait for your lunch. Have a relaxed afternoon at the lodge and later go for a night game drive with an opportunity of spotting nocturnal animals like leopards, bats, and many others. Later at around 10:00pm, drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Day 19 : Cycling in Lake Mburo 

Cycling and relaxation at the lodge Have your breakfast at the lodge and drive to the nearby communities where you will hire the bicycles for cycling experience. The 2 hours experience gives you a chance to explore the park as you spot several animals like zebras, giraffes, topis, and any others in the open savannah. After the adventurous experience, embark on your journey back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.

Day 20: Drive to Jinja

Wake up for your tasty breakfast at the lodge and later check out for your 5 hours’ drive to Jinja, the home of adventures. Located in the Eastern region of Uganda, Jinja is known for hosting several adventurous attractions including the source of the River Nile – the longest river on the African continent. Arrive in the city in the evening, check in at the lodge of your booking for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation at 2 Friends safari lodge

Day 21: White water rafting and visit the source of the Nile

Begin your day with a delicious breakfast and go for briefing about white water rafting. After you will embark on the adventure taking you through different rapids on River Nile. From the experience, you will for lunch and then go for walk to the source of the Nile. In the evening, after enjoying the moment and taking beautiful pics, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 22: Drive back to Entebbe for departure flight

Wake up for your breakfast at the lodge and check out for your transfer to Entebbe International airport for your departure flight.